FIA President's Scandal Exposed

🌎 Around Formula 1

🤯 FIA President's Scandal Exposed - Allegations have surfaced that FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem instructed officials not to certify the Las Vegas circuit, aiming to find faults to withhold the race license, despite the track meeting safety standards. This whistleblower claim, part of a report to the FIA's ethics committee, contrasts with the FIA's assertion that the circuit's approval adhered to standard protocols. The backdrop includes a strained relationship between the FIA and F1's commercial rights holders, with financial tensions hinted as a possible motive for the alleged directive. The incident adds to a series of controversies surrounding Ben Sulayem's presidency. More

👀 Red Bull Suspends Complainant - Following an investigation into allegations against team principal Christian Horner, Red Bull has suspended the complainant. The investigation, led by a specialist barrister, concluded last week, dismissing the allegations against Horner. He expressed the ordeal's impact on his family, emphasizing the need to move forward and focus on racing. The complainant has the option to appeal the decision. Red Bull and Horner have refrained from commenting on the confidential matter. More

🫣 Jos Verstappen Starting Rumors - His recent remarks hint at internal turmoil within Red Bull, suggesting the team could be "torn apart" if Christian Horner remains as team principal. Amidst Horner's cleared allegations, Jos's comments have fueled speculation about Max Verstappen's future, coinciding with his meetings with Mercedes' Toto Wolff. With Mercedes eyeing a driver for 2025 and Red Bull's dominant form under Verstappen, the paddock is rife with rumors about potential shifts, especially considering Red Bull's upcoming partnership with Ford and the strategic implications for both teams. More

💨 Audi Accelerates Sauber Takeover - Audi is close to finalizing its acquisition of Sauber, potentially increasing its stake to 100%, affirming its dedication to Formula 1. Initially acquiring a 25% share in early 2023, Audi's stake has now reportedly reached a majority, with board member Oliver Hoffmann appointed as a Sauber director. Despite past speculations of hesitancy due to board changes and Audi's market performance, the move signifies Audi's unwavering commitment to its F1 project, set to officially commence in 2026 with the new technical regulations. More

🛞 Drivers

🤬 Yuki Lets Tempers Flare - Expressing frustration during the Bahrain GP, he aggressively overtook teammate Ricciardo post-race, unhappy with team orders that favored Ricciardo. Despite initial heat, both drivers discussed the issue, reaching an understanding. Tsunoda acknowledged his heated in-race reactions but committed to improvement, emphasizing clear communication with Ricciardo moving forward. Watch video

😎 Sainz Finds Confidence - Expresses relief with Ferrari's SF-24, a car that allows him to adopt a more aggressive racing style, contrasting with last year's model that necessitated a cautious approach due to its race pace issues. Finishing third in Bahrain, Sainz highlighted the significant improvement over last year, where Ferrari struggled with tire management and inconsistent handling. The SF-24's performance in Bahrain suggests potential competitiveness in upcoming races, despite Red Bull's dominance. Sainz is optimistic about the car's ability to maintain aggressive race stints without overly concerning tire wear, hoping for a closer contest with Red Bull this season. More

🏎 Teams

🙃 Alpine's Technical Turmoil - Alpine's F1 team faces turmoil as Technical Director Matt Harman and Head of Aerodynamics Dirk de Beer resign amidst a disappointing season start. Their departures, set for April, follow Alpine's poor performance in Bahrain, with drivers Ocon and Gasly struggling at the back of the grid, exacerbating the team's ongoing restructuring challenges. More

🛞 Williams Steering Wheel Glitch - Williams has implemented a temporary solution for the steering wheel glitch that affected Sargeant's performance in Bahrain, with a permanent fix expected by the Australian GP. The issue, traced to an electronic fault linked to a new steering wheel design, caused an uncommanded brake bias shift, leading to Sargeant's off-track incident. The team has modified the steering wheel, which now integrates the electronic dashboard, enhancing visibility and control, crucial for managing race conditions like VSC and safety cars. Sargeant acknowledged the significant change in feel and functionality with the new design, emphasizing its overall benefits despite the initial setback. More

🥵 Mercedes' Overheating Puzzle - They’re puzzled by the unexpected overheating issues that affected their W15 car during the Bahrain GP, with both drivers forced to adjust their race strategies due to excessive power unit temperatures. Despite accurate ambient temperature predictions and extensive pre-season testing, the team faced unforeseen cooling challenges, leading to a performance compromise. Mercedes engineers are now focused on identifying the cause of the temperature discrepancies to prevent recurrence, acknowledging the significant impact on race pace and tire management. The issue also affected their customer team, Williams, but not other Mercedes-powered teams like McLaren and Aston Martin. More

🔮 Newey Unveils RB20's Secrets - Adrian Newey, Red Bull's CTO, has clarified the design approach for the RB20, describing it as an evolution rather than a radical departure from its predecessor. Despite its visually striking changes, particularly around the sidepods, Newey emphasizes that the car is fundamentally a third-generation development of the RB18. He highlighted that while the external modifications have garnered attention, they represent a smaller performance gain compared to other, less noticeable design tweaks. The team aimed to enhance performance on street circuits and low-speed corners, addressing areas where the RB19 had lesser advantages, ensuring the RB20 remains competitive across all track types. More

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabian Race Preview

5 Storylines To Watch Out For

Front-Runner Dynamics

• Jeddah's unique track could shuffle the competitive order seen in Bahrain, testing teams' adaptability to its high-speed demands and possibly altering the front-running hierarchy.

Perez Aiming for Repeat

• After his 2023 victory here, Sergio Perez eyes another strong performance in Saudi Arabia, potentially intensifying his rivalry with teammate Verstappen and setting a significant tone for his season.

RB's Intra-Team Tension

• Post-Bahrain, the spotlight is on RB's Ricciardo and Tsunoda, with their recent on-track friction and team orders controversy drawing attention to their dynamics this weekend.

Cooling Challenges

• With Saudi Arabia's heat, teams, especially Mercedes-powered ones, face the critical task of managing cooling efficiently, a factor that could significantly impact race performance.

F1 Academy Launch

• The F1 Academy season starts, showcasing emerging female talents alongside the F1 weekend, highlighting the close ties between the academy and the teams. More

📊 Standings

🏎 Bahrain GP Exposes 2024 F1 Car Evolutions - The race offered a closer look at F1's 2024 car designs, revealing significant innovations. Red Bull's RB20 showcased a revised nosecone and front wing flap adjuster, alongside a unique sidepod and cooling layout, diverging from previous Mercedes-inspired designs. Mercedes' W15 introduced a slender front wing flap, aimed at manipulating airflow, and a modular design for setup flexibility, including a cockpit repositioning for better driver perception.

Ferrari's SF-24 evolved with an underbite inlet and a modified chassis for aerodynamic and mechanical optimization. Williams presented an unconventional diveplane design, potentially influencing future aerodynamic strategies. These changes underline each team's strategic direction and technical ingenuity for the season. See pics

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